2026-05-30 Eco-Musée d'Alsace

 Sunday May 30, 2026

Today's outing will take us to Ungersheim a half-hour southwest from here. There is an outdoor museum the Green Guide says not to be missed. So that's our target for today.

A French éco-musée is an outdoor museum comprised of buildings, displays, and demonstrations of life in a by-gone era. Buildings of historical interest are purchased from all over the region, disassembled, and re-built on the museum site. As it's a museum, conservation, history, and culture are all blended into a village that showcases middle ages through early 20th century life in Alsace. And this museum claims to be the largest in France. It also claims to have quite a bit of handicapped accessible areas. Just half-hour south of Logelheim, perhaps there will be shade from the heat of the day. One day is not sufficient to absorb all the information or participate in the demonstrations. It is worthy of more than one day. The photos below will hopefully give a feel to the breadth of this museum's offerings. (and watch for a surprise ending to our day)

First view of the area after leaving the ticket office

Ron, Chris, Mad, Dave checking out a farm where they have left off the top coat of plaster showing how the area between the timbers is filled with mud and daub

Outside the ticket office - I liked this stained glass, even  though it's modern

early 20th century barber shop

sawmill

Dave liked this sign. (Signage at the eco-musée was good - English, French, & German)

Shoe-maker's shop (cordelier)

Inside the shoemaker's shop

This barn was full of old tractors and other farm equipment

Mad reading a description of the buiilding

Old car in an old barn

House in whose shade we had our picnic lunch

Bake oven outside the farmhouse seen below

Cour du Sabotier (clog maker) farm buildings - house on right, barn in rear, shed on left - house dates from 16th century

Dave liked this bottle glass window which was in one of the older houses

By the shade of a tree, docents explained about the farms here. The women holding the horse and cow are waiting to speak to the group next.

This building was left without its mud and daub so we could see how the frame was assembled.

Discovered in Mulhouse during construction on old city walls. The tower was moved to this site, reconstructed, and missing pieces filled in. (We wondered if there could have been much more than foundations if it was found in a city wall.)

Along the river Le Tour

Bringing the horse back to the barn

Dave and Chris on the bridge

Yesterday, I thought we had seen the location (Munster) with the highest concentration of storks per view. I was wrong. This place has the most I've seen anywhere. Here are some photos of storks that we couldn't resist. I have lots more, but, really, how many storks are needed to prove a point?